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📢 New preprint out now! In three samples (N=594), including a U.S.-representative cohort and a test-retest cohort, we formalize social motivation, learning, and homeostatic control within a single computational framework and identify a phenotype linked to chronic loneliness doi.org/10.31234/osf...

Shawn Rhoads

@shawnrhoadsphd.com

22 Apr

Loneliness continues to be a major public health problem. The abundance of social cues (i.e., afforded by social media) may lead to a mismatch between expectations about social connection & reality. Here, we examined how social expectations shape social craving (the desire to connect with others)

Shawn Rhoads

@shawnrhoadsphd.com

Using computational modeling, we show that social craving rises with social cues, shifts when social outcomes are better or worse than expected, and regulated around a person-specific setpoint. Model parameters were moderately stable after one week and one month! doi.org/10.31234/osf...

doi.orgOSF

22/4/26, 4:14 pm0 reposts1 like

Shawn Rhoads

@shawnrhoadsphd.com

22 Apr

We built an interactive web app to visualize how different model parameters shape craving dynamics: shawnrhoadsphd.com/social-cravi... Chronic loneliness was linked to a lower craving setpoint and stronger shifts in craving when social expectations did not match reality doi.org/10.31234/osf...

Shawn Rhoads

@shawnrhoadsphd.com

22 Apr

Huge shoutout to my co-authors: Kannon Bhattacharyya, @krkulkarni.bsky.social, and @xiaosigu.bsky.social Recent work in substance craving by @krkulkarni.bsky.social and @xiaosigu.bsky.social served as a huge inspiration for this project: www.nature.com/articles/s44...

nature.comA computational mechanism linking momentary craving and decision-making in alcohol drinkers and cannabis users - Nature Mental HealthThis study investigated the computational mechanisms linking momentary craving and decision-making in people with moderate to high addiction risk levels for alcohol or cannabis use, uncovering differe...